Kenyan Red Cross and a medical official say 16 people were killed in the Kenyan town of Garissa near Somalia during attacks on churches.

A combination of grenades and gunfire were used by persons wearing balaclavas to attack Garissa’s Catholic Church and African Inland Church according to police officials in Kenya.

Since sending soldiers into Somalia in pursuit of al-Shabab Islamic militants, Kenya’s border region has sensed tension but said the operations were being conducted to end to kidnappings in Kenya and al-Shabab violence.

Al-Shabab has since also been blamed for a number of grenade and bomb explosions across Kenya despite never admitting to carrying out such attacks on Kenyan land.

Sunday’s church attacks were also condemned by the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims who said that all places of worship deserved respect.